Record changer



Jan. 19, 1954 H. H. VANDERZEE ET AL 2,666,649

RECORD CHANGER l6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 21, 1946 Jan. 19, 1954 H. H. VANDERZEE E' l' AL RECORD CHANGER Filed Oct. 21, 1.946

16 Sheets-Sheet 2 flak/2% .H. ikrfieri lfmdeizee Ewe/23E 7720 mm Jan. 19, 1954 H. H. VANDERZEE ET AL RECORD CHANGER Filed Oct. 21, 1946 ENERQZES SOLENOID l6 Sheets-Sheet 3 I l j3Z I E: SOLENOID swrrcn 2 RACK E i 2 {J03 l-l I g 2:52 ml TONE 8 3 fi Q SWITCH OPENS T0 2 ARM 2|: 6. PERMIT COMPLETE 5 TONE ARM SET lga 1 BRAKING OF RECORD 1 WHEN RECORD 5' gag; RACK MOTOR PLAGE 8|" mlgca 1'- :43; og TRANSFER A a 'cu MECHANISM nzlh mhl SELECTOR THIS swncn OPENS T0 DE-ENERGIZE THESE swnc c p To RELAY AND STOP TRANSFER MOTOR STARTR.R.MOTOR WHENA SELECTION IS MADE AT END T N F RECORD TORACK v 100 RELAY AN 149 I? s 1474 73 OTOR Q A .145 L 1 i 146 1 160 35 5 .159 t L l k+134 J '1 15/ I {169 j 140 I 14 3 14 142 157 I l 4 a x CANCEL 1Z9'1-} Q !A I SWITCH 176 SWlTCHES 0 {66 177 7; J23 TONE ARM 13 swnou a +1 POWER 6 INVENTORS: Y T SOURCE i J3 i /el'er-fydzzgea SELECTOR 137 T 35 BY MWCCQZ/fl Jan. 19, 1954 H. H. VANDERZEE ET AL 27,666,649

RECORD CHANGER Filed Oct. 21, 1946 16 Sheets-Sheet 6 m gWm+ Jan.'19, 1954 H. H. VANDERZEE ET AL RECORD CHANGER Filed Oct. 21, 1946,

Jan. 19, 1954 Filed Oct. 21, 1946 H. H. VANDERZEE ET AL 2,666,649

RECORD CHANGER l6 Sheets-Sheet 8 2a; 80 7 96 95 9? 7 92 90 67 9 a? 5 5g .5 a2

jams/22225 v Jan. 19, 1954 H. H. VANDERZEE ET AL 66,649

RECORD CHANGER Filed Oct. 21, 1946 16 Sheets-Sheet 9 Jan. 19, 1954 H. H. VANDERZEE ET AL 2,666,649

RECORD CHANGER Filed Oct. 21, 1946 I I 16 Sheets-Sheet 1O Jan. 19, 1954 H. H. VANDERZEE ET AL ,666,6

RECORD CHANGER Filed Oct. 21, 1946 16 Sheets-Sheet ll Jan. 19, "1954 H. H. VANDERZEE ET AL 3 5 RECORD CHANGER Filed Oct. 21, 1946 16 Sheets-Sheet 12 H. H. VANDER-ZEE ET AL 2,656,649

Jan. 19, 1954 RECORD CHANGER Jan. 19, 1954 H. H. VANDERZEE ET AL 2,666,649

RECORD CHANGER Filed 001:. ,21, 1946 16 Sheets-Sheet 14 fai /7%;- J1. Zrb'ari' aizderzea, foerifi 7/20 Cazzarrz/ Jan. 19, .1954 H. H. VANDERZEE ETAL ,666,

RECORD CHANGER Filed 001;. 21, 1946 16 Sheets-Sheet l5 Jiofierf/Z. 7/20 Calla/a RM RM A sw l7 mwmmw Jan. 19, 1954 H. VANDERZEE} ET ALY 2,666,649

7 RECORD CHANGER Filed Oct. 21, 1946 16 Sheets-Sheet 16 W ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 19, 1954 RECORD CHANGER Harryi Herbert 'Vanderzee, Racine, Wis., and

Robert A. McCallum, Clarendon Hills, 111., as-

signers, by mesne assignments, to A M I Incorporated, a corporation of Delaware Application October 21, 1346, Serial No. 704,588

6 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to record changers for phonographs and more specifically v to an automatic phonograph record changer of the general characterdisclosed in United States Patent No. Re. 21,514, reissued July 23, 1940, to the Automatic Instrument Company, assignee of Clifford H. Green, deceased.

An automatic phonograph of the type under consideration is adapted to afford a large number of selections and to play either side of each record. The broad functions of the record changer are to select a given record disc or take it from a magazine, tolay one side or the other on a playing turntable, toffurnish the desired program, then to take the record from the turntable and to'return it to the rack, then to repeat the cycle of operationsuntfl the desired program is completed. These functions are performed by the following units: 7

-l. A record rack or magazine in which there are stored a plurality of record discs constituting the available selections;

'2. A selector device and associated equipment which responds to the deposit of each coin unit of a'customer and/or to a manual selecting operation in such manner as to cause the record magazine to move and to place the selected record'in a position where it can be grasped and placed on the phonograph turntable, this position hereinafter referred to as the transfer position;

3. A transfer mechanism forgripping the selected record upon its attainment of the transfer position and placing it on the'phonograph turn- 7 table, this mechanism also being operable to return the record to the magazine upon the completion of its play. These two phases of operation being hereinafter referred to as the delivery phase andthe return phase; f

4. Motor means for 'drivingthe. record magazine and the transfer mechanism;

5. Means for moving the record magazine when a selection is made and for stopping the magazine when the selected record disc reaches the transfer position; j

6. Means for causing the transfer'mechanism to be driven'in one" direction during the record deliveryphase;

2 r 7. Means for causing the transfer mechanism to be driven in the reverse direction during the record return phase;

8. A phonograph proper, consisting of a tone arm and a turntable, for playing the record so selected, transferred and delivered; and

' 9. Aturntable driving motor.

The objects ihe broad object of the present invention is to providean improved, simplified record changer record changer of'maximum reliability and durability. Another object of the invention contemplates the provision of means for preventing the furnishing of a greater number of selections than the number paid for and for frustrating attempts to defraud.

It is a further object of the invention to provide means for stabilizing the tone arm as itis finally placed into the playing position and to eliminate the undesirable interval before the attainment of the playing position during which freedom of movement between follower and cam exists.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple expedient for controlling the displacements and movements of the record magazine, independently of the control normally exerted over it by the selector in actual operation, for the purposeoffacilitating adjustments and stocking of records in the record magazine. It is also an object of the invention to provide animprovedand simplified magazine rack assembly, and to reduce the undesired efiects of record disc warpage.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a simple electric arrangement for canceling a selection and returning a record to the rack at the con ,enience of the operator.

1 An additional object ofthe invention is to provide a simplified transfer mechanism for assuring a'firm grasp by the transfer mechanism oneach aeeamie 3 record disc before it is transported, as well as an approximately half way from the record maga improved and smooth-acting system having long zine to the turntable and before a counterclockwearing qualities for causing one side or the wise twist has been imparted to the grippers for other of the record to be laid on the turntable. the purposeof placing the rear s1de of the record Other objects and advantages of the invention 5 disc in playing position;

will become apparent in the following descrip- Fig. 22 is a front elevational view of the transtion, taken with reference to the accompanying fer mechanism, showing the positions of its parts drawings, in which an illustrative embodiment of at the instant of placement of a selected record the invention is shown, disc on the turntable (the rear side of the record having been selected) The drawings Fig. 23 is a top plan view of the transfer mech- In the drawings: anism under the conditions illustrated in Fig. Fig. 1 is a top plan view of an automatic record 22; changer in accordance with a preferred embodi- Fig. 24 is a left end view of the transfer mechment of thepresent invention; I anisnn under thesameconditions shown in Figs.

2.1 S 2-t View, not intended to be 122 and 23', the iiecorddib being down on the accurately pictorial, of parts of the selector and turntable; the reciprocating record magazine included Fig. 25 is a front elevational sectional view of the Fig. 1 embodiment, showing the basic interthe t i ansfer mechanism showing the positions of action between the record magazine and-the se- "20 its part's immediately before a selected record is lector; i M g ipped, the record being in the transfer posi- Fig. 3 is a block diagram;e riployegi}alsanaid t (see also Figs. 1'8 and 19); in describing the general gross operation of the record changer illustrated in Fig.1;-

, A g.-26 is a front elevational sectional view of the-record transfer mechanism showing the con- Fig. 4 is a complete electrical circ it .25 ,di t ions which e cist therein when the record has of the record rack motor, thetifan'sfer "b'e'e'n gripped (sees-1S0 the dashed lines in Fig.

the various switches and other electrical devices, 20);;

employedto control their-"operation; Fig. 2'7 is a right side elevational view of the E'igs. 6, L8, 9,19. 1,1. and 12 are circuit diafi .fe t echanism showing the positions of its the 'r'cord is in a transfer position grippers {ar ready to grasp it (see also 3 sale 'and'the run lines in Fig. 20);

-' 'is a left side elevational view or the mechanism 'showing the like conditions st. trt iis t e .e i ic f'c' ii, q ti n of th overall circuit illustr wd. in Fig. i during record changer operation herey'described;;'. x t 'sidefeievational V ew of, the ran record i a m fi H g ng w p as they'would appear to an observer stationed server stationed at the location of the transfer at herecord rec}; (see. also Figs. 1.8, '19, 2'7, and mechanism; the full lines, in Fig. 20)

w g. '29' i's.a leftfsi eelevationa'l sectional view of the transfer mechanism as'see'n by an observer ionfldf'at the reeeramck j(under the same tioiis. pictured by Figs. 18, 19., 27, 28 and th ulljlins of Fig. 2.0)

isarearelevational view of the transaniism, sho the positionsof 'its parts e instant ofinitiation of the gripping opri si e e ti na n e also Fig. 20'.) and se lne'and se o tak n jflqhbkihg i thg'di Figs. "31'to 34, inclusive, are, respectively, top plan, front, elevational, rear elevational, and ri I sideelevational sectional viewsof the tone arm"ca'mincluded in the Fig. 1 embodiment. liig. 32 also showing the relationship between I the; one arm tam aiidjthecam switches, each ir relativepositions with respect f. F 32, and '33 making. aff-ull-lineshowing of I p tienorthecam during. recordplay an d ent "r'y 'rig'h't'sidefelevational i hed line showings: the position of the cam esolenoid's'carriedbythe magar 1 1. 01: to transfer of. a selected record from. the

the arrows; v A I 'fview, talie'non line l"6f6 of Fi the qiie tiee i. the. rrows.

.l l' e eiqt t e ec e'm 'nfieraegassetn by anobserver looking in the liecoifdfifia'g'azinejto theiturntable. direction of; the arrows, on line l'I-.l.|. of Fig. 1.4.

The general; plan area; elevational vie of t e auto- .f rfi g i w'e ci e ii a. there are shown 'the{following principalautoma'tic record changerfcoinponents: '(a') "a suitable metallic base 351(5) arecjo'rd' raok or magazine 36, in which there are 'rnountedf"'unif6rmally spaced record discs "31' {to 35': inclusive (c) selector 91, Iofdetermining'the', record. discs I to beplayed, as m Fig 3'; u I 91 f Qr i g FWQ'banks..of "selectorlevers, onebabk Figf2d isafroiit elevational-viewof messes comjlsting of m 3: mi bmdto 751 hanismwshowmg thepgjsitidnsfif,itsjpairts clus ve and thef oth'er bank consisting of the nsj a i t ia fi '11 7o levers, numbered 1] to fi 'inclu sive, individual the anon-of: 1- core-gr ping whichIprecedes one the. ig t-hand. selector levers numbered fizalnsferf 51 through 16 corresponding to individualfront sidesoftherecord discs. numbered '31 through 55,,respectiyely, and individual. ones-of the se:- lect'or levers numbered 11 through '56; correispending to individual rear sides of therecord discs numbered-31 through 56, inclusive; (d) a record rack or magazine motor 98 for driving the record rack in such fashion as to place any selected record inthe transfer position (record 44 being in that position in Fig. 1); (e) a transfer mechanism, indicated generally by the numeral '99 for picking up any selected record from the magazine and placing it on the phonograph turntable before playing of the recordand for returning it to the record magazine upon completion of the playing of the record; (f) a transfer or cam shaft motor I for driving the transfer mechanism; (g) a playing turntable I01; (h) a motor 102 for driving the turntable; (i) a phonograph tone arm I03; (7') a tone arm cam 1H4, controlled, by the transfer mechanism, for placing the tone arm on a record disc to be'played and for removing thetone arm from the record disc whenit has been played.

The detailed construction and operation of this preferred .form of our invention are hereinbelow described, but the above general outline and the teachings of the aforementioned Green patent are sufiicient to establish the general background for the following, detailed description of my invention wherein attention is focused on those features in which it departs from the prior art.

The selector-magazine interaction ing the forty selections available, and although the selector includes twobanks of twenty selector levers each, Fig. 2 includes representations only of record discs 31-40, right hand selector levers 51-40 and left hand selectors 1180, since this partial showing of the essentials of the magazine andselector is sufiicient to illustrate the feature hereinabove referred to.

This feature exploits interaction of the magazine and the selector for the purpose of placing any selected record in one predetermined transfer position at which it can be handled by the transfer mechanism 99. The record changer accordingly comprises a selector 91 having a plurality of uniformly spaced parallel tripping members 51-16 arranged in a right hand bank, and a like plurality of uniformly spaced tripping members 11-96 arranged in a left hand bank. The magazine 36 comprises a number of spacing elements which maintain the record discs 31- -56, in

vertical positions and in spaced parallelism. It.

is important that the spacing between the central planes of each two successive records (for example, records 38 and 39) beequal to the spacing between the central axes of the corresponding selector levers (for example, 58-59 or 18-19) as indicated on the drawing by the dimension A. It will be noted that the record discs are mounted in an inverse order with respect to the sequence of the corresponding tripping members. Either one of a pair of two aligned opposed selector elements (for example element 51 or 11) is adapted when actuated to select an individual one of the discs (for example, record disc 31).

-' The selector levers in the right hand bank are individually pivotally mounted on a shaft II I. Similarly, the levers in the left hand bank are mounted on a shaft H2. Eachoftheselector levers :is' normally neutral but turnable when actuated to'make a selection, those levers in the right hand bank being turnable clockwise (as viewed from the front) and those in the left hand bank being turnable counterclockwise as viewed from the front. For example, when the front side of record disc 31 is selected, selector 51 is actuated or turned to the position illustrated in Fig. 2. It will be seen that all of the other selector levers are still in their neutral-positions. When, on the other hand, the rear side of the record disc 31 is selected, the selector lever 11 is displaced from neutral. For purposes of further illustating the above-mentioned feature, it will be assumed that lever 51 has been actuated to make one selection. Of course, any number of selections may be made, and the record changer will operate until allhave been played.

Means including the record rack motor 98 is provided for reciprocally-sweeping magazine 36 across selector 91 with linear motion of translation. When any one of the selector levers is actuated, it lifts a bail switch bar l2! or I22, closing a bail switch I23 included in an energizing circuit of the record rack motor 98. This bail switch is closed as long as any selections remain to be played, the operation of my record changer being such that the operating cycle will be repeated until all of the selections have been played. Upon the completion of the ordered program, switch bars 121 and I22 are restored to normal and the record rack motor stops. Itis the lifting of either one or both bars 121 and I22 in the making of one or more selections which causes motor 98 to start. The rack moving means is hereinbelow specifically described in the section devoted to the' details' of the record rack. Under the conditions illustrated in Fig. 2, the record rack moves toward the front'until a projecting member included in anddepending from electrical switch H3, secured to the front of'magazine 36, strikes stopping'or tripping element 51. The abutment of this projecting member against lever 51 opens the switch and the energizing circuit of the record rack motor 93 and the record rack stops, placing record 31 in the ,transferposition Had the normally deactivatedselecting means 58 been tripped,

' trolled by interaction of the selector 9! and the magazine 36 for :deenergizing the record rack motor and stopping the magazine, because the circuit breaking means 3 is responsive to abutment against any one of the stopping elements, when that one of thestopping elements has been actuated, to stop motor 98 and arrest the sweeping motion of translation of themagazine 36. The magazine is always stopped in a position dependent upon the position of the tripping or selecting means which has been actuated. In response to the making of. various selections, the record rack stops in different. positionsbut always in such fashion as to place the selected disc in the transferposition. .7 ..;i j

It will be noted that when the'record magazine is moving in the direction indicated by the full line arrow in Fig. 2, the rocker plate H4. is cocked in a clockwise position. Let it now be assumed that the record magazine starts from, the position illustrated, thatlever 51 is in neutral and that lever 11 has been activated. The record rack then moves in the direction indicated by the full line arrow until the projecting member of switch H has passed over all of the levers in. the left hand bank. Then the tail H6 of the rocker plate strikes rear end It"! of cross bar H8 and trips rocker plate HA to a counterclockwise position (as viewed from the top). At the same time, the direction of travel of the magazine reverses. The magazine then moves linearly toward the rear until the projecting member of switch 1 l5 strikes lever ll. Switch .5 is responsive to such a strike to open the energizing circuit of motor 98. and stop the magazine. Therefore actuation of either lever 51 or lever T'I causes record disc 31 to be placed. in the transfer position. When the record is so placed as the result of actuation of lever Tl, rocker plate I I4 is in the counterclockwise position, having been placed there by its tail abutment against end I ll of cross bar I 38.. But when the record is so placed by actuation of lever 51, plate I I4 is in the clockwise position, having been placed there by its tail .abut ment against end H9 of cross bar H8. As will be made clear in the description hereinbelow in the section entitled Transfer mechanism the position of rocker plate H4 determines which side of the given record will be placed on the turntable in playing position. Thus, when any one of the selector levers 5'!IB is actuated, the corresponding record disc 31-56 is placed in the transfer position and rocker plate H 4 is in the clockwise position (as viewed from the top), causing the front side of the record to be played. Additionally, when any one of the selector levers 11-46 is actuated and the corresponding one of the record discs 37-45 is placed in the transfer position, rocker plate H4 is in the counterclockwise position, causing the rear side of the record to be placed in playing position.

The depending or projecting member of switch H3 is so shapedthat it engages one side. of any actuated one of the levers 5|18 when themagazine is traveling toward the front, but does not.

engage any of the levers either when the magazine is moving toward the rear or when they have notbeen actuated; similarly, the projecting member of switch H5 is so shaped that it will not strike any of the levers |l96, inclusive, either when the lever has not been actuated or when the magazine is moving toward the front; It strikes'any one of levers IT-96 when the magazine is moving toward the rear and when thatone has been actuated. I

When the record changer operates in response to actuation of one-of the tripping members in the right hand bank, the arcuate record gripper no is ultimately placed in the position shown in Fig. 2. When anyone of the selector levers in the left hand bank is actuated, gripper ultimately assumes the position shown in Fig. 23, as fully explainedhereinbelow.

Thus it will be seen that in accordance with this important feature of the invention, there 5 is provided a mechanism for placing any-selected one of anumber of spaced record disce n-58 in either of two playing positions. 'I'hat meche anism comprises. a conveyor 36.1fm. carrying any selected one of said discs to a transfer: position, a

selector 8! including two opposed banks of selee tor elements, STU-16 and "ll-96, each consisting of a plurality of normally neutral selector elements corresponding in number, inverse order and spacing to said discs, either one or a pair (for example, 5.7, Ti) of two aligned opposed selector elements being adapted when actuated to select an individual one of said oiscs (for example, 31), motor means 98 for reciprocally sweeping said conveyor across said selector, and two circuit breaker means H3, H5, mounted on said conveyor and adapted to be tripped to stop saidv motor 38 .and arrest said sweeping motion. One of said circuit breaking means I I3 15 mounted over one of said banksv (right hand) and so shaped as to be tripped upon impact with one element of said pair (for example, til) during movement of said conveyor in one direction (toward the front), the other of said. circuit breaking means H5 being mounted over the other of said banks (left hand) and so shaped as to be tripped upon impact with the other element (for example, 11). of said pair during movement of said conveyor in the opposite direction (toward the back), either of said circuit berakers operating when tripped to stop said one (Ior example, "all. of said discs in said transfer position, a transfer mechanism as having two settings for placing one side (front) or the other (rear) of said record in playing position, and interengaging means (H8, M6) on said conveyor 36 and said transfer mechanism 9?: for changing the setting of. said mechanism upon each reversal of conveyor motion, whereby actuation of one for example, 5'!) or said two aligned opposed selector elements causes. one side (front) of its corresponding record (for example, 37) to be placed in playing position or actuation of the other (for example, W) of. said two aligned opposed selector elements causes the other side (rear) of said record to be placed in playing position. In addition, we utilize the. switching arrangements H3, Hi! to brake the record rack motor when any selected record has attained the transfer position and to start the transfer motor, as specifically pointed out hereinbelow. The Fig. 2 circuit arrangements are approximate electrical equivalents drawn for the purpose of developing gen- 8I'3.1 principles and the precise circuit arrangements actually used are hereinbelow specifically described.

in the Fig. 2 showing, electrical insulation problems are disregarded and proper insulation is assumed, for the reason that anyone having any knowledge of this art would know how to provide insulation, where required.

Having described what at present appears to be one important feature of our invention, we nowmake reference to the block diagram of Fig. 3 as an aid.- in explaining the overall operation of the record changer as a Whole; This explanation precedes the detailed description of other important inventive features of our record changer.

The overall operation The: gross cycle of operation as represented in Fig. 3 is as follows: (a). A selection is made by actuating one of the levers in selector 91; (b) An: energizing circuit to the record rack motor .98. is closed through bail switch I23 and a cam switch I29; (0) The. record rack motor starts and themagazine. moves the selected record disc to thetransfer' position; (d) At the timethat the :bailswitch is closed, the turntable motor I02 isv turnedjon by a suitable switch and gauging 

